Pendulum scale lock



1952 L.. 0. SINGLETON ,617,

PENDULUM SCALE LOCK Filed June 17, 1946 INVENTOR. LESTER D. SINGLETON BY z ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1952 PENDULUM SCALE LOCK Lester D. Singleton, Rutland, Vt., assignor to The Howe Scale Company, a corporation of Vermont Application June 17, 1946, Serial No. 677,220

13 Claims. 1

My invention relates to weighing scales of the type having load counterbalancing or offsetting pendulums, and relates more particularly to a locking mechanism for use with weighing scales of this type.

' A weighing scale of the type in which the locking mechanism of the present invention may be employed is shown in my application Serial No. 646,883 filed February 11, 1946. I In a weighing scale of the type referred to, it is important that means he provided to prevent injury to the elements of the dial head mechanism, especially when the weighing scale is transported from place to place while in use.

It is an important object of my invention to provide, in weighing machines of the type referred to, an improved means for securing the pendulums against movement, for example, when not in use.

In one aspect my invention comprises an attachment for a weighing scale, wherein there is provided a memberwhich is readily and quickly moved into engagement with means on the pendulum cams to rais and hold said pendulum cams out of pivotal engagement with their bearings, thereby restraining the other elements of the dial head mechanisms against movement.

Other objects of my invention, together with certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will be apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of my invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view, partly in section, of a dial head mechanism, removed from the casing which normally houses the same and which rests on a suitable support, showing the locking mechanism of my invention in position relative thereto but with the tape connections from the tare structure to the pendulum cams omitted in the interest of clarity, and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the elements of the locking mechanism of my invention, showing how the said locking mechanism is mounted on the dial head casing.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout both views of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference numeral 3 designates the framework supporting the elements of the dial head mechanism. These elements comprise cam 4 of load pendulum 5 and cam 6 of compensating pendulum 1, said cams being pivotally mounted in anti-friction bearings 8. Mounted for movement with load pendulum cam 4 is a tape sector 9 which is connected by flexible tapes I! and I2 to a translating or input drum sector I3 integral with amultiplying or output drum sector |4. Both drum sector I3 and drum sector M are pivotally mounted in an anti-friction bearing arrangement, generally indicated by reference numeral |5, carried in the framework 3. Th multiplying drum sector I4 is connected by means of flexible tapes l6 and I! to a pointer drum H! which is also pivotally mounted in anti-friction bearings IS in the framework 3. The operation of the scale head mechanism will be obvious from the above description and drawing.

In Fig. 1 the locking mechanism of my invention is shown in operative position, i. e. in position for locking the pendulum cams and other elements of the dial head mechanism against movement; Thus, a lock bar 2| is shown in raised position, pressing upwardly pins 22 and 23 suitably fixed to cams 4 and 6. Pressing the pins upwardly lifts slightly the pivots on which the cams are mounted from their bearings 8, thus not only locking the dial head elements against movement but also preventing injury to the bearings while the scale is being moved from place to place. 5

The lock bar 2| is fixed to a horizontal bar 24 fixed to the upper extremities of lock rods 25.. The rods 25 are supported in tubes or sleeves 26 within which are placed compression springs 21.. Means are provided for guiding the vertical recip'- rocations of rods 25 and sleeves 26. Thus, the means for guiding rods 25 comprises a suitably apertured guide bar 28 fixed to a plate 29 which is in turn attached to framework 3 by screws 3 I. The sleeves 26 are guided in a suitably apertured upper portion 32 of a bracket 33 mounted on a bushing 34, arranged in the casing 35 housing thedial head mechanism. Compression springs 36 are carried on rods 25 between guide bar 28 and collars 37 held in position on said rods by means of set-screws 38.

The sleeves 26 supporting rods 25 are set in openings 39 in cam follower block 4| which rests on a cam 42 fixed, by means of a pin 43 to a shaft 44 journalled in and passing through bushing 34. The cam 4| is provided with flattened portion 45 to more firmly support the block 4| in operative and inoperative positions.

For rotating the cam 42, a hub 46 is fixed to one end of cam shaft 44 by means of a set-screw 41 and a handle 48 is supported in said hub. A locknut 49 is provided for holding the locking mechanism in position in casing ,3 5.

In operation, th rotation of cam 42 so as to cause the flattened portion 45 thereof to come into contact with cam follower block 4| effects the locking of the cam 42 and block 4| against the action of compression springs 36. The flattened portion acts to maintain the locking elements in position. When the cam 42 is rotated to bring flattened portion 45 against the block 4|, and thus r et e pendulum oamsandother le. ments for movement, the rods 25 dropiflhefall thereof is cushioned by compression springs 21.

While the locking device of my invention has been shown as engaging pins on both pendulum cams for locking the dial head elements against movement, it will be appreciated. that a locking engagement with only one of the .cam pins either H the one on the compensating pendulum cam or the on on the load pendulum cam, will also look all of the dial head elements.

The embodiment of my invention shownand described herein is to be considered merely as illustrative .as the invention is susceptible to ari t n; m dificat on and change Within-the sp r t an ope f theapnended claims.

Wh t I c a m asnew and d sire to seenrehby Let ers at t is= "ll-In a weig s al o t c ass described. thetoombination with load offsetting means com- .pris nelp n um cams and pendulums mounted there n. of a pin oneaoh of s id pen lum cams,

fii lQ k a means, for moving said lock bar inwa dly i o l n en ageme t with t leas 0 1? o s dpins to locksaid pendulum cams and pendulums against, movement. In a weighing scale of the class described,

v.pids s end lum cams and pendulums mou ted thereo o a. pi on each of said pe d rnca s, e oiehbar; a d m an no d ng a o g oiroul Loam hav g. d ametr ca opposite fletsfor .mov-

nr sine pe du m cams nd-p dulum mou te tliepombination w t ad ff tting means eoms said l 'ckloar upwa dly in o li ting en a e- "thereon, of a pin on each of said pendulumpdms,

.a loo ar, m ans ncl din a lo king circu a 9am ha insi ametriea ilv o po ite flats mo =1 Li g sai l ck ba u wa dl i o ing eng em nt with said ins to ok sa d pen u um cams and pendu umsa a nst m vem nt nd meanso said locking can; for maintaining said 'lock bar PQ i -Q ne wei hmesoal o the ol deserib d ttnecomb na on with loado f et ns ans o mprising p dul m oa nd e d ms m e the eon. of a n on eas o sai e du cams- .eilook bar, meens'in ln inea ckinseir e nediamet all op s ats f r in, saidlock' bar, upwardly into lifting engagem ent-with said pins; to lock said pendulum cams and pendulums against movement and a fiattened surface on said locking cam for maintaining said locl; bar inposition.

-5. In a weighing scale of the class described,

the. cornbination'with load offsetting means com-"-- iprising pendulum cams and pendulums mounted 'thereomof a pin on each of said pendulum cams, a lockbar, rods attachedto said lock -ban-a-block ,for holding said rods, and a locking circular 9am having diametrically opposite-flatsformoving said block so as to cause said lockbar-to engage .:s aid pins to lock said pendulum cams and pendulums against movement.

6, In a weighing scale -of .=the.c lass described,

-- tatable locking lockbar to engage saidpins to lock said pendulum cams and pendulums against movement.

7. In a weighing scale of the class described. the combination with load offsetting means compri ,gpendulumcams and pendulums mounted thereon, of a pin on each of said pendulum cams,

a lock bar, rods attached to said lock bar, sleeves for supporting said rods, a block for holding said sleeves, a rotatable locking circular cam having diametrically opposite flats for moving said block so as to cause said lock bar to engage said pins to lock said pendulum cams and pendulums against movement, and means for rotating said rotatable locking cam;

' v8. Ina weighing scale of the class described,

thecombination with load ofisetting means comprising, pendulum cams and pendulums mounted thereon, of a pin on-each of said pendulum cams. dlock bar, rodsattached to said loci; bar,' com'- pression springs on said rods, sleeves for,,S 1pporting saidrods, a block for holding said sleeves,

a rotatable locking circular cam having diametrically opposite flats for moving said block, said sleeves, said rods and said lock bar against the action of said compression springs so-as to cause said lock bar to engage said-pins to lock said pendulum cams-sand pendulums against movement, and meansfor rotating saidrotatable locking cam.

9. In a weighing scale of the class described, the combination with load offsetting means com prising pendulum cams and pendulums mounted thereon, of a pin on each of said pendulum cams,

--a-lockbar, rods attached to saidlock; bar, compression springson said rods, sleeves-forsupporting said 'rods, compression springs insaid sleeve a bloc}; for; holding said sleeves, a rocircu'lar cam having diametrically opposite flats forrnovi-ng said block, said-sleeves,

' said rods and said'lock ba-r againstthe action of said first mentioned; compression springs, so; as to causesaid lock bar to engage said pins to slocl; said pendulum cams and pendulums aga1nst movement; and means ior rotat-ing said rotatable locking cam.

10.'In a weighing scale ofthe class described,

the combination with load offsetting means comprising-pendulum cams and pendulums mounted thereon, or"- a pin on each of said pendulum cams, a lock bar, rods attached to saidjloclg bar, compresSion springs on said rods, sleeves for supporting said rods, compression springs said sleeves, a block for holding said sleeves, a :mtatable locking circular cam having diametrically opposite flats for moving said block, said sleeves,

' said-rods and saidloclr bar against the action of v aid first mentioned compression springs, so as to cause said lock bar to engage saidpins to lock said pendulum cams and pendulums against movement, a flattened surface on said rotatable oam cooperating with said block to maintain -saidlock bar locking position, and means for 1 rotating said rotatable locking cam.

11. Inla lockingstructure for weighing scales of'the type having counterbalancingand offsetting pendulums to prevent injury to the elements of the dial head mechanism upon transportation from place to place while in use and to raise and hold the pendulum cams of such scales out of pivotal engagement with their bearings, said structure including a lock bar, a plurality of lock rods connected to said lock bar, guide means for said lock rods, a rotatable cam member for elevating and lowering said lock bar, coil spring members for bearing said bar and rods downwardly and coil spring members for cushioning the movement of said rods upon downward movement.

12. The structure of claim 11 in which the guide means include sleeves for receiving said rods and an apentured guide bar for receiving and through which said rods project.

13. A weighing scale of the type having load counter-balancing and offsetting pendulums including a locking device to be readily and quickly moved into engagement with the pendulum cams REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 156,259 Schmolz Oct. 27, 1874 1,103,513 Heusser July 14, 1914 1,267,549 Hert May 28, 1918 1,564,387 Wesley Dec. 8, 1925 1,577,009 Wetzel Mar. 16, 1926 1,606,938 Hem Nov. 16, 1926 1,671,261 Thomas May 29, 1928 2,034,847 Timson Mar. 24, 1936 2,233,868 Kish Mar. 4, 1941 2,404,601 Seyter July 23, 1946 

